The Last Mile

On Wednesday New York Governor Eliot Spitzer vetoed Senate Bill 1353-A, legislation which would have created a regulatory framework for the safe and proper use of Segway PTs within the State of New York. The bill received overwhelming support in both the Senate (55 Yes to 6 No) and in the Assembly (100 Yes to 30 No).

We are disappointed with this decision but look forward to working with the Spitzer Administration along with the Legislature in the coming months to determine what considerations can be made to achieve access for Segway PTs in the state of New York.

We have reviewed the veto statement and feel that more than half of the points could have been easily addressed in S1353A or can be in a future bill. These points included age parameters for riders, helmet requirements and other common sense guidelines as to when and where the Segway PT can safely operate. Segway Inc. supports these points.

The other components of the bill, those that would have allowed Segway PT access to roadways and shoulders (except highways), dedicated bike lanes and paths, and other multi-use pathways, came about through a culmination of 5 years of discussions with New York legislators, advocacy groups, municipal and state organizations, as well as other stakeholders. During the coming months we will work with the Governor’s staff to identify where and how they feel Segway PTs should operate.

A number of organizations have been actively opposing the passage of this bill, as highlighted in yesterday’s Newsday article. At Segway, we find it disappointing that organizations that work to reduce global warming, pollution and congestion are unwilling to acknowledge the impact the Segway PT can have on all these areas. The Segway PT uses rechargeable electric batteries to operate. Electricity is still one of the most efficient forms of power readily available today. The electricity the product consumes while it recharges does create emissions during the production process. Yet, using the Segway PT creates 14 times less greenhouse gas per mile than the average American car (93% reduction). The emissions attributed to the product are expelled where the energy is produced, and not where it is operated, helping to reduce pollution in urban centers.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that half of the 900 million automobile trips Americans take each year are of five miles or less and transport only one passenger—trips perfectly suited to the Segway PT. At Segway, we are working to encourage people to use our products to replace short-distance, single-occupancy car trips, not replace walking.

America’s dependence on automobiles is exacting an ever-higher cost on our environment, our health and our quality of life. Advocates are right to promote the increased use of mass transit and the advantages of walking, as they are all measures that will help society make a positive impact on the environment. Limiting the access to other eco-friendly transportation options such as the Segway PT, hybrid cars or alternative-energy devices will hinder the overall progress towards this goal. Segway PT is one alternative that has a real chance to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and substantially increase energy efficiency.

Where there are opponents, there are proponents, and we know that there are many Segway PT owners in New York state that have been working hard to help legislators and the public understand the benefits of the Segway PT. We appreciate your efforts and thank you.

If you’d like to express your viewpoints about the outcome of this bill, write to Governor Spitzer’s office. Stories about how owners rely on the Segway PT will help demonstrate there is a constituency that supports the use of this innovative technology.

If you are reading this blog, you probably have an interest in battery-powered mobility and its advantages over more traditional vehicles. Some people are interested in the efficient use of natural resources, while others are passionate about relative emissions. There is no shortage of opinions, that is for sure.

We like electric for a lot of reasons. The right electric motor can give you excellent control at low speeds, and provide the torque required to keep a rider balanced, when needed. Performance advantages aside, the environmental benefits of electric seem obvious, but can be hard to quantify.

During the last year I worked with one of our engineers, John David Heinzmann, to quantify the increased efficiency and reduced emissions one might realize by replacing a single-passenger car journey with a Segway PT. JD has been with Segway since the beginning, and is one of our resident battery gurus. Together we wrote a white paper that covers both efficiency and emissions, which can be found here:

This was a fun, albeit sometimes tedious project. First we looked at the fairest way to make comparisons (we go back to the source fuel), and then we crunched the numbers. If this is a topic of interest to you, we invite you to read it and let us know what you think. I won’t spoil the ending, but the Segway PT fares pretty well…

- Michael

Tomorrow the 10 MPH folks begin their Summer Theatrical Tour in Seattle – the same place where the original cross-country glide started in 2004. 10 MPH is a feature-length independent documentary that follows two aspiring filmmakers (Josh, Hunter and their entourage) on a 100-day journey across the U.S. on a Segway PT. Now the guys hit the road again, this time on a month-long theatrical tour to show the movie on the big screen in cities across the country. Check out the list of cities, theaters and screening times to see if they are coming to a theater near you.

Segway and its local authorized dealers are supporting the screenings in five cities with freebies and extra activities:

Denver - Aug. 9th @ 7:15 p.m.

• First 50 ticket holders to arrive at the theater receive a free 10 MPH DVD compliments of Segway Inc.

• Join producers Josh Caldwell and Hunter Weeks at a Meet the Movie Makers event immediately after the screening at Forest Room 5. Free Segway PT demonstrations.

St. Louis – Aug. 11 @ 3 p.m.

• First 50 ticket holders to arrive at the theater receive a free 10 MPH DVD compliments of Segway of St. Louis

• Meet the Movie Makers event at Segway of St. Louis immediately following the screening. Free Segway PT demonstrations, snacks and beverages compliments of Segway of St. Louis.

Chicago – Aug. 12 @ 2 p.m.

• First 50 ticket holders to arrive at the theater receive a free 10 MPH DVD compliments of Segway Experience of Chicago

Washington, D.C. – Aug. 21-22 More information coming soon…
Wilmington, N.C. – Aug. 23-24 More information coming soon…

San Antonio, Texas - *New addition to tour. More information coming soon…

• Pre-show Segway PT demonstrations

• First 50 ticket holders to arrive at the theater receive a free 10 MPH DVD compliments of Alamo Segway

• Post-show Meet the Movie Makers event at the Iron Cactus. 50% off all desserts

If you haven’t yet, visit 10 MPH to share “your thing” on their blog and enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win cool loot like a Segway i2, Fender guitar, Chipotle burritos, IZZE packs (yum!) and free 10 MPH DVDs.

We look forward to hearing your reviews of the movie!

-Carla

Recently, SEG America (Segway Enthusiast Group of America) board of directors invited us to talk with them about the future of the organization. During the conversation, it became apparent that low volunteerism was holding the club back.

With the support of SEG America’s board of directors, Segway Inc. has proposed to take the essence of the group’s mission and oversee its management. We see it as an opportunity to play a part in making Segway connections across the globe.

Since its inception in 2003, SEG America has served as a place for Segway enthusiasts to unite and participate in local glide events and larger events such as SegwayFest!

During that time Segway Inc. has assisted SEG America with technical, intellectual and financial support and looks forward to increasing its role to continue the momentum of Segway product use and brand advocacy.

What exactly does that mean? Honestly, we’re still figuring that out and we’ll be asking for your help.

There are so many passionate owners and enthusiasts out there that we want to hear from during the coming months to help us determine where the organization should head in the future.

As for today, we’re excited about the opportunity and are looking forward to some new and creative ways to connect with owners and non-owners alike. We hope you’ll join us.

Stay tuned to The Last Mile for more news about the SEG America transition.

~The Segway Marketing Team

One of the best indicators of the growing demand for green transportation is changing strategies of the big auto makers.

What caught my eye is how General Motors is taking its plug-in hybrid to Congress in order to pass a more feasible fuel mandate. According to this post, Troy Clarke, the GM head of North American operations, explained why GM believes the long-term answer to energy independence is through biofuels and the electrification of the automobile, rather than spending tens of billions of dollars to meet four percent annual corporate average fuel efficiency. Nice!

On GM’s Fastlane Blog, they mention how most people drive less than 40 miles a day, meaning that if one day these people drove a Chevy Volt (currently just a concept) they would never have to buy gas at all. We’ve also found that according to EPA estimates, Americans take 900 million car journeys every day, half of these trips are less than five miles long with solo drivers. I also think it’s safe to say that for most of us, our driving consists of commuting to and from work, which for me, is less than 20 miles. What about about you? Do you drive less than 40 miles/64 km a day?

Fuel bills aside, another interesting report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council explains how the next generation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) can help reduce global warming and slash oil dependency. But you already knew that right? Read on and it talks about how researchers at the Dept of Energy are studying materials that would reduce Li ion battery sensitivity to abuse conditions and extend battery life.

This is all promising news in the world of Segway PTs. For those of you who are interested in learning more about how we’re helping Segway PT owners off-setting the use of electric power with renewable energy sources see our site.

- Luis